Archive for » October 11th, 2017«

Halloween boutique: Visit Roger’s Gardens and step into a world of Magic Mayhem. “Magical” creatures are for sale behind windows stacked with wands and broomsticks. Boutique available various times and dates through Oct. 28. 2301 San Joaquin Hills Road, Corona del Mar. 949-640-5800 or rogersgardens.com

Tuesday, Oct. 17

Fall Silk Centerpiece Workshop: Stop by Roger’s Gardens where Andrew Garcia will guide guests on how to create their very own fall silk centerpiece, for the Thanksgiving holiday. This silk keepsake is perfect for the holiday season or a thoughtful hostess gift. Workshop fee includes all materials and step-by-step instructions. Please bring gloves if desired. $125. 6-7 p.m. 2301 San Joaquin Hills Road, Corona del Mar. 949-640-5800 or rogersgardens.com

Coconut Zingy Yogurt Class: Join Kelly Solorzano as she shows students how to create this dairy-free probiotic powerhouse from scratch using a unique recipe and process.She will demonstrate how guests can create their own varieties and ferment this yogurt into savory dips. Starter cultures will be available for purchase at the class. $50. 6-7:30 p.m. Fermentation Farm. 1125 Victoria St., Suite R, Costa Mesa. 949-650-0830 or fermfarm.com

Wednesday, Oct.18

Fermented Soda Workshop: In this class, guests will learn how to make ginger soda (based on an “old-school” recipe from a century ago) and water kefir soda. These are two of the least complicated fermented beverages to make. Instructor, Dr. Yasmine Mason, will also teach attendees how to turn the ginger soda into root beer. Organizers say that if you are new to fermentation, this would be a great place to start. Starter cultures will be available for purchase at the class. $30. 6-7:30 p.m. Fermentation Farm. 1125 Victoria St., Suite R, Costa Mesa. 949-650-0830 or fermfarm.com

Thursday, Oct. 19

Christmas boutique: Get inspired by Joyeux Noël at Roger’s Gardens. Celebrate the diversity and richness of European Christmas traditions enhanced with modern influences and themes. Glass ornaments are hand blown and hand decorated in family workshops in Poland, Nutcrackers made in Germany accompany seasonal dinnerware from Portugal and Italy. Boutique open various times and dates through Dec. 23. 2301 San Joaquin Hills Road, Corona del Mar. 949-640-5800 or rogersgardens.com

Saturday, Oct. 21

Celebration of Fall: Join Eric Cortina at Roger’s Gardens as he demonstrates a natural approach and style to fall décor. Wreaths, garlands and fresh floral arrangements will be highlighted using elements from the garden and floral studio. Learn valuable tips and trade secrets that will help you celebrate the autumn season. Free. 9-10 a.m. 2301 San Joaquin Hills Road, Corona del Mar. 949-640-5800 or rogersgardens.com

For all of the sugar artistry, the showiness of elaborate frosting and gorgeous fruit, on display in a pastry kitchen, desserts are mostly about fundamentals. Basic techniques. Basic ingredients. So it shouldn’t really come as a surprise that egg whites feature so prominently in the latest cookbook from British Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi. He began his career as a pastry chef, after all, as did Helen Goh, his collaborator on “Sweet,” their new dessert cookbook. There’s a pavlova on the cover of the American edition. There are about 10 recipes for meringues inside the book. If you’ve ever been to Ottolenghi’s shop in the Notting Hill neighborhood of London, meringues are the first thing you see, towering in the window, confronting you as you walk in the door, begging to be eaten as soon as possible.

And when Ottolenghi and Goh visited The Times’ Test Kitchen, not too long ago, it was a meringue that they demonstrated, in the form of a pavlova tricked out and rolled up like a Yule log.

“Meringues are the basis of so many classical desserts; they’re so instrumental in baking,” said Ottolenghi above the loud engine of the KitchenAid mixer. “When you want to show off, you do meringues.” Most often, a pavlova is made as a giant meringue, a Frisbee-sized free-form confection that’s baked, then topped with whipped cream and fruit or whatever’s on hand. Ottolenghi and Goh have spread out their meringue on a sheet pan and baked it like a sponge cake, then dropped whipped cream, sliced peaches, blackberries and almonds on top and rolled it up, jelly roll style. The result is show-stopping.

While “Sweet” is Ottolenghi’s sixth cookbook, it is his first devoted solely to desserts, and you get the feeling as he talks about it that the book’s making was as much a fun, sugar-high playtime as it was a study in dessert technique. In the kitchen, the two chefs, who each have two children under the age of 7, act like kids themselves, finishing each other’s sentences and jokes as they assemble the parts of the dish.

“Take a deep breath and roll,” instructed Goh, after she and Ottolenghi had loaded the layer of meringue with spoonfuls of cream, fruit and nuts.“If it goes wrong,” pointed out Ottoenghi, as he ate the rest of the peaches, “you can always turn it into a trifle.”

“Sweet” took about three years to write but, said Ottolenghi, he and Goh — the longtime Ottolenghi product developer — have been “talking cakes for 10 years.”

Roughly half of the recipes are from the Ottolenghi restaurants — there are five in London — and half were developed for the book. “We wanted to make it really user-friendly,” said Goh, “not just special occasion.” So although there are a few stunners — a lemon and blackcurrant stripe cake, say, with towering vertical pink and yellow layers — there’s an emphasis on family-friendly treats and not a few cookie recipes for which, as Ottolenghi put it, “you don’t need a lot of kit.”

Those of us whose kitchen shelves are lined with Ottolenghi’s previous cookbooks (among them “Plenty,” “Jerusalem” and “Plenty More”) will note a few marked differences from that stack and this book. Most obviously, the chef who often seems to be credited with reinventing Middle Eastern cuisine (“I can credit myself with making it a little bit more sexy”) has written a book that isn’t particularly regional. Yes, there’s the rosewater and the pistachios, and there is halvah in the brownies, but “Sweet” reads like a fairly traditional European — even British — dessert book. There are recipes for celebration cake, for sticky fig pudding, for Victoria sponge cake, even a recipe for fruitcake.

The difference is also in the methodology. “The subject matter is so different,” said Ottolenghi about “Sweet.” “It’s about the technique; savory is more about the ingredients.”

And if you’re wondering about the next cookbook: yes, it’s already in the works. “The next one is going to be Ottlenghi simple,” the chef said, after he and Goh sliced — and sampled — their pavlova. It’ll be “more functional, about how food functions on a daily basis. I look at the recipes and they’re so short.”

Meanwhile, if you like your dessert recipes short, maybe try the Cats’ Tongues, delicate biscuits that take all of three steps to make; or the lime posset, a cream-based pudding that takes just two steps, plus adding some papaya and lime. If, however, your idea of fun is beating giant bowls of egg whites — Ottolenghi’s first kitchen job was doing just that — there is recipe after recipe for that, for sponge cakes and Powder Puffs, as well as that remarkable stripe cake. And yes, for meringues, whether you roll them up or display them prettily near your kitchen window.

Starting in November, you’ll have even more tasty specials to try when The Hill offers a new specials insert menu in addition to its regular menu. You can try new creations like the Greek Mac Cheese Skillet, with creamy mac cheese topped with grilled chicken, feta cheese, red onions and tomato, or the crispy Tex Mex Chorizo Roll appetizer with pork, corn, salsa, peppers and a zesty chorizo sauce for dipping. The special features will change every few weeks to keep The Hill selections fresh and fun.

There are some things you won’t want to change, like the great menu of favorites at The Hill. The Mac Cheese Skillets are perfect for a chilly autumn day, all baked up hot and sizzling in a cast iron skillet. Try the Chili Mac Cheese with chili, Monterey jack and cheddar, fresh onion and sour cream. The All-American has mini grilled Angus burgers, bacon, American cheese and gravy. Head south for the Santa Fe with blacken chicken, black bean corn salsa and jalapeños or the Memphis Style with pulled pork, cole slaw and barbecue sauce. There is even a Down by the Mac Cheese with crab and shrimp.

The Hill might be the only deck around that’s open all year from spring to summer to fall and even winter. It’s heated and covered, so you can get some fresh air on even the chilliest night. Enjoy a refreshing cocktail or a craft brew, with al fresco dining on great appetizers, burgers, salads, sandwiches and entrees.

Kids are more than welcome at The Hill, with their own menu choices, plus lots of other great ideas like mini-sliders, chicken wings, mac cheese and more. Reading Craft sodas are perfect for kids of all ages, in flavors like orange cream and black cherry.

Whether you are a meat-eater or salad lover, The Hill has just what you are hungry for, like a homemade deep dish pizza loaded with meats, a big juicy flame grilled ultimate burger with bacon, cheddar, mushrooms, BBQ sauce, onion rings and sweet potato fries, or a blackened chicken salad in a taco bowl with jalapeños, black bean corn salsa, guacamole and cheddar jack cheese or the crunchy Ahi tuna salad with bean sprouts and chow mein noodles. The roast beef is slow roasted prime rib.

Tequila is a specialty at The Hill, where they are famous for their premium sippin’ tequilas, as well as a selection of fine scotches, whiskeys and bourbons too. There is a 12-spout tap system to offer lots of beer choices, including a rotating seasonal craft beer, hard cider and Lancaster Brewery seasonal, plus 30 bottles. There is even gluten-free Omission Lager.

There is always something fun happening at The Hill, like Monday Trivia Night at 9:30 p.m. and karaoke on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. when you can show off your singing talents or just listen. Be sure to check out the Facebook page to get the details.

Hours at The Hill are Monday through Saturday 11 a.m.- 2:30 a.m., and closed on Sunday. To find out more or to schedule a special event, call 733-6331. Be sure to check the website at www.htopinn.com.

In an old house, there are endless places to spend money. But for the Hoburg family, whose Capitol Hill rowhouse is 117 years old, it’s never been about perfection. In the 14 years the family of four have lived in the narrow, three-story house, they have patiently carved out a sense of home — one exposed brick wall and yard-sale chandelier at a time.

“Living in smaller, older spaces, you have to be creative,” said Meg Hoburg, 50, a designer whose specialty is budget-minded jobs. “We did things in stages as we were able to afford them.” Her husband, Glenn, 52, a pastor at Grace DC, said he used to dread the word “project,” but he’s continually mastering the skills needed to keep home improvements moving forward.

“I didn’t grow up learning how to fix anything, but Meg had a vision of what the space could become and wasn’t afraid to take risks,” he said. “Now I can install wallpaper and tile and change out faucets.”

The Hoburgs are one of many urban, space-challenged families who love their neighborhoods and will make lifestyle compromises to stay in the city. There’s not a bathroom adjoining each bedroom and no massive trophy kitchen in the Hoburgs’ 1,500-square-foot home. There are no walk-in closets, though their teeny third upstairs bedroom is the size of one. But by using every inch, doing much of the work themselves, continually coming up with new storage solutions, repurposing furnishings, and constantly condensing and purging their stuff, they found affordable ways to make the house functional and comfortable.

No coat closet? They put up hooks in the small entry vestibule and enlivened the space with a navy-and-white wallpaper inspired by Mexican folk art, , Otomi by Hygge West. Limited kitchen cabinets? Because they have high ceilings, they looked for extra storage vertically and added a wall of open shelving and a Crate Barrel pot rack. No back patio? They Googled how to build one themselves and bought a truckload of bricks. With the help of friends and family, they carried the bricks through the house to the back, as they have no rear access to their tiny yard.

Their daughters Isabelle, 17, still at home, and Maddie, 20, who recently moved out, have contributed to the overall design of the house and developed their own DIY projects. Isabelle’s art installations involve paper flowers of her own design. She embellished her bedroom chandelier, bought at a community yard sale in Grafton, Vermont, for $2, by painting it bronze with touches of gold leaf and dangling her white-and-gold flowers from it. She also created artwork using a piece of driftwood from which an armload of her handmade blooms are suspended. Maddie painted her closet doors bright aqua (Warm Springs by Benjamin Moore), and her own framed artworks hang throughout the house.

When the Hoburgs moved into the house in 2003, previous owners had already given it a basic renovation: a simple Ikea kitchen, updated bathrooms, replastered walls and a finished basement that serves as a family room, guest quarters and storage. But some of the charming quirks of a house that dates to 1900 were still there: slanted floors, wooden doorknobs that rattle, and brass hinges layered with paint. The tiny back yard was a patch of dirt and weeds. When it rained, water occasionally trickled into the master bedroom through the light fixture.

But the house had its original pine floors, tall ceilings and claw-foot tub. The Hoburgs invested about $45,000 in the past 14 years on major improvements including a new roof, air conditioning and built-ins, as well as exterior improvements; most years they spend $2,000 to $3,000 on repairs, upkeep, furniture and accessories.

Patina in Falls Church, Virginia: Pebeo gilding wax, which comes in a jar and can be rubbed onto wooden lamps, frames, doorknobs and mirrors. “It adds character and richness and makes details stand out,” Meg said. “In a small space, gold accents, different textures and anything with a sheen adds a lot to a room.”

Replace your old, scratched-up pots and pans—this nonstick set is only $40 right now (Photo: Reviewed.com)

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Are your pots and pans worn-out from years of cooking? Maybe they were once nonstick but now require too much oil to keep your food from burning and sticking to the pan. Maybe the handles are loose and untrustworthy, or years of use have created weird hotspots that force you to cook all your food on one half of the pan only.

If there’s ever been a good time to wipe the slate clean and start fresh in your kitchen, it’s now. You can get a 10-piece nonstick set from T-fal on Amazon for just $40. This set tends to jump around in price fairly often, but usually goes for around $55.

What you get

What you’ll love

While the price is amazing for any budget, this T-fal cookware set offers more than savings. Every pot and pan is nonstick and designed to evenly distribute heat for more consistent results with every meal. Better yet, the handles are oven safe up to 350 degrees and have holes at the end if you’ve got a hanging pot rack for storage. Did I mention everything in this set is dishwasher safe? What’s not to love about that!

Use the right tools

Make sure to use the right kind of utensils on your nonstick pans. (Photo: LUCENTEE)

Nonstick cookware makes it much easier to cook anything from eggs to meats and sauces, and it can also reduce your dependence on cooking fats like oil and butter so every dish you cook is that much healthier. But the special coating that prevents sticking also requires you to adjust the tools you’re using.

You should never, ever use metal utensils on nonstick surfaces. Nylon, silicone and wood are your best bet to protect the integrity of your cookware. This 22-piece set (pictured above) includes all the cooking tools you’ll need as well as prep tools like a grater, a peeler, and a measuring cups set, all for $27.

With the holiday season right around the corner, you may already be thinking about hosting Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas breakfast for family and friends. Whether you’re a grandma who has been feeding her family for years, or a newlywed couple that’s just starting out, bringing people to together to share a meal is one of the best holiday traditions. While there are plenty of things you will need that you probably have like dinnerware and serving trays, one thing you can’t forget is linen napkins.

Linen napkins are an easy way to let guests know you really value their time and company. While paper napkins just get wadded up and thrown in the trash, linen napkins are treated a little more carefully, and can be used over and over again, which is more economical. Linen napkins are also a great way to dress up your dining room table, as you can choose different colors or layer prints to create a really beautiful table design. I love the look of a round placemat and round plate with a linen napkin folded like a rectangle across the top, but there are so many ways that you can decorate with a napkin. If you’re feeling really fancy, you could even fold the napkin in different ways and cool shapes to really wow your guests.

When looking for linen napkins, be sure to choose a material that will match your existing dinnerware, as you want everything to look nice when placed next to each other on your table. And since they will be washed, it’s important to look for a durable material that will hold up well in the wash over time. It’s also good to think about how many you napkins you will need to accommodate all of your guests, and to make sure you choose a pack that has enough (or order multiple).

This set of 12 linen napkins is perfect for someone who wants a really soft linen napkin, as opposed to a firmer material. Made from 100% cotton, this linen napkin is soft to the touch, and is also oversized at 20 inches by 20 inches. The napkins also have mitered corners, which give them a nice, tailored finish. Available in both white and ivory, these napkins will match almost any dinnerware and dining table. While cotton is soft and washes well, it does tend to wrinkle, so keep that in mind (i.e. if you don’t like to iron, this may not be the set for you). Because they are soft, this linen napkin is a good choice for those who like to host more casual gatherings.

2. Best Rustic Linen Napkins: Abbot Fjord Linen Dinner Napkins

Abbot Fjord

Made with 90% linen and 10% cotton, these napkins have the perfect blend of durability and softness. Linen is naturally stain resistant and washes really well, so this set is great for someone who likes to keep things low maintenance. Because there is some cotton in the material the napkins will be slightly wrinkled when pulled out of the dryer, which gives them more of a rustic design feel instead of looking messy. If you’re not a fan of rustic, you can easily iron the napkins to smooth the wrinkles out. This set comes with four napkins, and each napkin is 20 inches by 20 inches. The napkins are available in three beautiful colors: cream, olive, and pewter.

3. Best Polyester Linen Napkins: Ultimate Textile Cloth Napkins

Ultimate Textiles

If you are hoping to do some fancy folds with your linen napkins, polyester material is the way to go. This napkin is 100% polyester and is 17 inches by 17 inches, so it’s easy to fold and place on top of plates on your dining table. Polyester is also a really easy material to care for as it’s stain and wrinkle resistant, so the napkins are easy to use meal after meal. There are dozens of colors available ranging from aqua to ice pink, so you will have no problem matching your existing dining decor. If you have a more neutral dinnerware set, you could choose a bold colored napkin to really brighten up your table. Whether you are hosting a small or big gathering, you can choose between one dozen, two dozen, three dozen, five dozen, or 10 dozen when ordering.

Buffalo plaid is a really fun choice if you want to incorporate a print into your tablescape, but don’t want something that’s too overwhelming. This linen napkin is available in four different prints. The red and black is great for Christmas, orange and black is perfect for Thanksgiving and fall, and the blue and cream and black and white will match with a variety of other occasions. The set comes with six napkins that are oversized at 20 inches by 20 inches, and are made with 100% cotton. They are machine washable and can be ironed if needed.

5. Best Floral Linen Napkin: ShalinIndia Floral Cotton Dinner Napkins

ShalinIndia

These linen napkins have a beautiful floral pattern made from a blend of beige, pinks, blues and greens. The pattern looks pretty rolled, folded, or laid out flat, so there are numerous ways you could display the napkins with the rest of your dinnerware. And, because there are so many soft colors within the napkin, they will complement a variety of dinnerware designs. The oversized napkins are made with premium cotton, so they are just as durable as they are soft. While the napkins are machine washable, it’s suggested that you avoid soaking and line dry only to preserve the colors within the pattern. The napkins are available in multiple set sizes: set of four, set of six, set of 12, and set of 24.

6. Best Elegant Linen Napkins: Lenox Opal Innocence Napkins

Lenox

If you’re looking to bring some elegance to your dining table, these will do the trick. The napkins have a beautiful scroll pattern and a nice hem that will have your guests thinking you spent big bucks. Made with 58 percent cotton and 42 percent polyester, the napkins are crisp enough to fold in a unique way, while still being soft to the touch. The napkins are 19 inches by 19 inches, and come in a set of four. Available in white and ivory (which has a slight yellow tint), these napkins will match with virtually any dining set. A variety of different sized table cloths and table runners are also available at the same link below.

7. Best Striped Linen Napkins: Milliken Signature Bistro Napkins

Milliken

A subtle stripe never goes out of style. This set of 12 linen napkins has a white background with one thick blue stripe, and two sets of smaller stripes above and below it. The napkin is bistro size at 18 inches by 22 inches, and is made with 100% polyester so it’s crisp at first but gets softer with every wash. Made in the USA, the napkins are stain resistant and anti-fade. The classic stripe pattern will complement almost any dinnerware and table decor, so this is a good choice if you want something chic and simple.

Add a little whimsy to your dinner party with these adorable polka dot linen napkins. With a mix of bright blue, green, red, pink, and yellow colors, these napkins will go with a variety of table decorations, and would also look cute set against a plain backdrop. Made with 100% cotton, the napkins are really soft and machine washable, although it’s recommended that you don’t dry them to avoid shrinkage. Each napkin is 20 inches by 20 inches, and they come in a set of six. These napkins are cute folded up, and also look great with a napkin ring.

While lace napkins may seem a little old fashioned, these napkins are more modern as there is only a little lace around the edges. The napkins are made with 100% cotton so they are really soft and easy to wash, but may require a little extra ironing if you don’t line dry them. The set comes with one dozen napkins so there are enough to accommodate a larger party, and they come in a neutral oatmeal color that match almost any dining table decor. This set is great if you want a neutral napkin that has a little bit of flair.

Egyptian cotton fibers are longer than standard cotton fibers, so they are both stronger and softer than standard cotton, and get softer with every wash. These napkins are made with 100% Egyptian cotton, so they are designed to be soft to the touch and to last a long time. The napkins are machine washable and dryer friendly, although they may need a light ironing to press out any additional wrinkles. Choose white if you want a bright, clean look, or grey or dark brown if you want something darker and more modern. This set comes with 12 napkins, so it’s perfect for larger parties.

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Smaller, surprise sales are expected to pop up earlier that week, too, said Lindsay Sakraida, director of content marketing for DealNews.com.

“Last year, we saw some stores put their deals online unexpectedly Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday,” Sakraida said. “We expect to see a lot more of that this year because stores have tried to battle Amazon by taking them by surprise.”

Online shift

DealNews.com and BestBlackFriday.com expect online shopping will continue to grow and more doorbuster deals to be available online and on mobile devices. Doorbusters are deeply discounted items often extremely limited in supply.

This is good news for those who don’t want to skip Thanksgiving meals and family time but still want to score some of the best bargains of the year.

In the past, scoring the hottest deals on computers, televisions and gaming systems required camping out or waiting hours before stores open.

Adding more deals online could change this, but luck and fast fingers are needed.

This year, Sakraida said very few offers are expected to only be available in-store.

“A lot of stores will advertise deals as in-store only but a lot of them do end up online,” Sakraida said. “A lot of that is because of the pressure of Amazon offering the same type of deals but available online with free shipping, which is very seductive.”

Of course, deals still can be hard to get online and many will sell out instantly.

“Whether those crazy prices are online or in-store, it’s going to be really hard to get them,” Sakraida said. “Regardless, you can still get really great discounts that are still worth your time online.”

Store hours

Even though more sales are online, in-store Thanksgiving Day shopping (aka Gray Thursday) doesn’t appear to be going anywhere.

Despite the outcry and shoppers threatening to boycott, many stores and malls still have been flooded with customers on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday.

“Some people just really like the excitement,” Sakraida said. “I don’t see that going away entirely but it’s not as necessary.”

BestBlackFriday.com surveyed stores and found more than 75 retailers who won’t open on Nov. 23.

I’m not surprised by the stores that are staying closed because many of them, including HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, and Burlington, don’t scream “Black Friday deals” to me and don’t normally advertise sales.

Wholesale clubs, including BJ’s Wholesale Club, Sam’s Club and Costco and office supply stores Office Depot, Office Max and Staples, also are expected to stay closed Thanksgiving but likely will have deals online Thursday.

Official word on store hours and leaked sale ads are expected in the coming weeks.

The top deals

Every year, we see the lowest prices of the year and rebates on small kitchen appliances including KitchenAid stand mixers.

Christmas decor, toys, winter clothes, shoes and more will be discounted.

It’s the time to invest in a new television, tablet or gaming system.

“This Black Friday we’re predicting that 4K TVs are going to be almost as cheap as 1080p,” Sakraida said. “I think we’re going to see a lot of those rock-bottom prices that are meant to be shocking and bring publicity to the store.”

DealNews predicts that a 55-inch 1080p television will be on sale for $260 and a 4K for $280.

BestBlackFriday.com’s predictions are close at $275 for a 55-inch 4K TV and note smaller 40-inch televisions could start at $165. The website also expects video game bundles will see heavy discounts.

Tablet discounts will be similar to past years, Sakraida said.

“iPads tend to be a very flashy deal for stores to offer,” she said, adding it could be $150 off or a gift card promotion.

Get prepared

Regardless of what’s on your holiday shopping list, take time now to do research.

I’ll be posting holiday shopping updates including links to leaked and official Black Friday ads at TCPalm.com/Bargainista.

Kelly Tyko is a columnist for Treasure Coast Newspapers and TCPalm.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK. This column reflects her opinion. Read her Bargainista tips at TCPalm.com/Bargainista and follow her on Twitter @KellyTyko. Sign up for her weekly newsletter at www.tcpalm.com/featured-newsletter/bargainistabest.